A 1976 photo of a woman holding a pack of birth control pills.

Teenagers dressed in long prom dresses and suits crowning the prom queen, with streamers radiating behind them like the rays of the sun

Prom Queen

Graceland, the Elvis Presley mansion in Memphis, Tennessee, photographed in 1985.

Ford assassination attempt, September 5, 1975.

George Whitefield preachingGeorge Whitefield preaching. English Anglican priest and a founder of Methodism. Preached during the Great Awakening in 1700s in Europe and American colonies. 16 December 1714  30 September 1770. (Photo by Culture Club/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***

Lesley Kennedy is a features writer and editor living in Denver. Her work has appeared in national and regional newspapers, magazines and websites.

Lesley Kennedy

Lesley Kennedy is a features writer and editor living in Denver. Her work has appeared in national and regional newspapers, magazines and websites.

Lesley Kennedy Archives | HISTORY

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HISTORY

America’s Founding Fathers decided that one elected civilian—the U.S. president—would lead the executive branch of the federal government, a governmental structure that has remained in place for more than 200 years.

U.S. Presidents

Colonial America was a vast land settled by Spanish, Dutch, French and English immigrants who established colonies such as St. Augustine, Florida; Jamestown, Virginia; and Roanoke in present-day North Carolina.

Colonial America

The continent of Asia, home to the majority of the world's population and countries as diverse as China, South Korea and India, has thousands of years of rich history.

Asian History

The 1970s was an era when the women's rights, gay rights and environmental movements gained momentum. The Vietnam War came to a close, the Watergate scandal led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon, the United States ended direct involvement in the Vietnam War and President Jimmy Carter grappled with an energy crisis, inflation and the Iran Hostage Crisis.

1970s

Food is an integral part of human history, serving as both sustenance and a symbol of culture, trade and power. From the earliest days of hunter-gatherers to modern-day globalization, what people eat has influenced the course of history.

Food

From raising families to leading armies, women such as Catherine the Great, Eleanor of Aquitaine, Queen Amanirenas, Queen Elizabeth I, Susan B. Anthony, Rosa Parks, Marie Curie, Rosalind Franklin and countless others have played a vital role in history.

Women’s History

The U.S. government, with its three branches of government and a system of checks and balances, is responsible for governing the 50 states and all districts and territories of the United States.

U.S. Government and Politics

From religious and patriotic holidays to celebrations of ethnic pride, explore the history of Easter, Passover, New Year's Day, Veterans' Day, Memorial Day and more annual observances.

Annual Observances

Art history tells the complex story of human civilization through art, literature and design. It ranges from prehistoric art of the Neolithic period through Renaissance masterpieces, Impressionism, Modernism, the Bauhaus and contemporary art.

Art, Literature and Film History

Inventions from the telephone to the Model T and the computer have defined human history, and inventors like Leonardo da Vinci, Nikola Tesla, Thomas Edison, Eli Whitney and Alexander Graham Bell have transformed our society.

Inventions & Science

The 1950s were a decade marked by the post-World War II boom, the dawn of the Cold War and the civil rights movement in the United States. At this time the U.S. economy was booming and more (mostly white) Americans could afford new cars, suburban houses and other consumer goods. But the 1950s also saw great conflict and division, from the nascent civil rights movement to the crusade against communism at home and abroad in the Korean War.

1950s

During the 1980s, conservative politics and Reaganomics held sway as the Berlin Wall crumbled, new computer technologies emerged, AIDS ravaged the United States, especially the gay male community, and blockbuster movies and MTV reshaped pop culture.

1980s

The U.S. Constitution, signed on September 17, 1787, created America’s federal government, established fundamental laws and legal structures while guaranteeing certain basic rights for American citizens.

Lesley Kennedy ‑ Stories

Why American Communities Began Adding Fluoride to Water

How President Grover Cleveland Won Two Non‑Consecutive Terms

When President Ford Faced Two Assassination Attempts in One Month

Who Invented the Teleprompter?

6 Breakout Speeches From US Presidential Conventions

Why Americans Have a Right to Trial by Jury

How the Mad Cow Disease Crisis Shook Britain

10 Symbolic Foods of Lunar New Year

Graceland: 10 Surprising Facts About Elvis Presley’s Mansion

How Prom Traditions Have Evolved Through History

How ‘Poor Laws’ Tried to Tackle Poverty in Colonial America

Reproductive Rights in the US: Timeline